To register user actions on a computer screen, a touch panel overlay may be placed over the top of the computer screen (e.g., on top of the liquid crystal display (LCD) screen of a personal data terminal (PDT), personal digital assistant (PDA), or desktop personal computer (PC)). The touch panel overlay component, however, wears over time due to the mechanical stress imposed from stylus or finger presses.
Before a touch panel screen fails completely, the touch panel may go into an intermittent failure mode whereby the touch panel occasionally registers a false touch. The intermittent failure is typically caused by an internal short in the touch panel component. The short in the faulty (i.e., defective, bad, flawed, etc.) touch panel screen will activate intermittently (i.e., come and go) based upon various conditions such as temperature, pressure, touches at other locations, etc.
When the touch panel enters into an intermittent failure mode, it is difficult for a maintenance or repair technician to diagnose the faulty touch panel because the panel may not be in the failure mode at the time of the attempted repair. This situation can lead to missed repair opportunities and the repeated return of failing devices causing frustration for the device user/customer.
Therefore, a need exists for more effective maintenance systems and methods for electronic devices, including but not limited to maintenance systems and methods that facilitate accurate detection of faulty touch panels in an intermittent failure mode.